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It was a magical week. The 14th Annual Gibara International Film Festival did not stop to amaze, not once. From April 16 to 22, 2017, Jorge Perugorría (Pichi), the Festival President, and Rafael Rosales, the Festival Director, put on a heck of a show.

“In 2000, during the filming of Miel para Oshún (Honey for Oshún) , under the direction of Humberto Solás, I discovered Gibara. He introduced her as though he were introducing an old flame, a forgotten girlfriend from younger days, from the times of Lucía that cinema put back on his path. From that meeting the Festival was born”…these are the words with which Jorge Perugorría, president of the International Gibara Film Festival, kicked off the 2016 edition.

By Mercy Ramos / Photos: José Meriño and Courtesy of the film’s producers

Two cultures that are so different but so close, Cuban and Canadian, will soon be seen on the big screen. In the coming year, filmgoers will be able to enjoy Eating the Sun, a movie thatbegan to shot in the first quarter of 2014 in both countries, directed by the talented and well-known Cuban filmmaker Alfredo Ureta.

At precisely the conclusion of Del Toro’s first work as a director, he held a press conference at which attended three of the other filmmakers involved in the film: Argentinean Pablo Trapero, Palestinian Elia Suleimann and Cuban Juan Carlos Tabío. Rounding out the seven involved in making the film are Argentinean Gaspar Noé, Spaniard Julio Médem and Frenchman Laurent Cantet.

Half a million people enjoyed the 32nd edition of the New Latin American Film Festival of Havana which opened the door to a prolonged visual feast. Lasting 10 days, from December 2 to 12, 515 films were shown of which 122 were in competition. The thoughtful and intelligent party, as certified by its president, Alfredo Guevara, was tracked by a crowd of movie addicts, who filled the theatres.

Elpidio Valdés first appeared dressed as a Mambí colonel leading a cavalry troop fighting for the freedom of his country against the Spanish enemy. He was created thus by Juan Padrón, a successful cartoonist who gave Elpidio the last name Valdés after the famous Cecilia, symbol of the Cuban spirit. Later he even found Elpidio a girlfriend, but she was not conceived by his rich imagination, as he tells us:

The first time l went to a movie theatre in Cuba was a self-imposed homework assignment. l was studying Spanish at the University of Havana's excellent school for foreigners and working as a freelance reporter for the Canadian Press. My Spanish was getting better day by day, but every bit of practice helped, especially with the Cuban tendency to speak as quickly as their feet move on the dance-ﬂoor. No better Way to tune my ear, I told myself, than going to a Cuban film and having to ﬁgure out what was going on.

This revered actress recalls her visit to Montreal in1967 during a tour with a musical review. She would never have imagined that so many years later and in the very same city she would be awarded the Grand Prix Special des Amériques for her work in Cuban cinema.

This revered actress recalls her visit to Montreal in 1967 during a tour with a musical review. She would never have imagined that so many years later and in the very same city she would be awarded the Grand Prix Special des Amériques for her work in Cuban cinema.

This revered actress recalls her visit to Montreal in 1967 during a tour with a musical review. She would never have imagined that so many years later and in the very same city she would be awarded the Grand Prix Special des Amériques for her work in Cuban cinema.